Bottle carrier



J. B. WALLER BOTTLE CARRIER New 21, 1950 Filed Nov. 10. 1947 INVENTOR. JflSEPfl-I E. WALLER Patented Nov. 21, IP50 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CARRIER I Joseph B. Waller, Baltimore, Md. Application November 10, 1947, Serial No. 785,073

The present invention relates to a bottle carrier and has special reference to a folding type.

The purpose of these carriers is primarily for the retail stores where beverages are usually sold for off the premises consumption. There are a number of these carriers now being used of which the great majority are constructed of cardboard, or similar material. These fiber carriers have been popular primarily because they are cheaper than metal carriers to construct, but their life in the trade is very short.

The principal object of the present device is to produce a low cost metal carrier by providing a design which requires a minimum amount of sheet metal for its construction.

Another object being to provide such a device which may be easily folded when not in use in order that they may be stored in a minimum amount of space.

Still another object being that by the particular design of the carrier the bottles may be easily and readily stocked when carried by the device.

A further object bein to provide a carrier with means for gripping the bottles while the carrier is being transported.

While several objects of the invention have been pointed out, the invention includes other objects, features and advantages which will be apparent from the description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the carrier.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same showing the carrier being supported from its bottom.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the carrier.

Figure 4 is an end View similar to Figure 2 showing the position of the carrier when supported by the handle.

Figure 5 is an end view of the carrier showing it in folded position.

Figure 6' is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the carrier is provided with end supporting members Ill and I2. Hingably connected to the lower end of the end supporting members at I! (and I1 not shown) are a pair of rectangular bottom sections 94 and It. Extending along and below the bottom surfaces of the bottom sections are means for positioning the carrier upon the tops of a, similar group of bottles when they are placed in carriers and stacked. These means are preferably formed by pressing in the respective bottom sections beads i8, 20, 26 and 28, and adjacent the ends by similar indentations 23, 24, 29 and 30. The end 1 Claim. (Cl. 224-48) supporting members as shown in Figure 6 have their outer side edges l0 and I0 bent inwardly to form a channel on the inner surface thereof for receiving the ends of a handle 38. Extending between the end supporting members It and I2 is a member 3'! reinforced by beads 5| for separating the two rows of bottles. This member is also used to reinforce the end members and provide more stability to the carrier in general. Positioned upwardly from the outer edges of the bottom sections are side members 3| and 32 having downwardly extended end portions 33, 34 (35 and 36 not shown) the lower ends of which are hingably connected with their respective bottom sections l4 and IS.

The handle 38 is of U-shaped form, the outer ends 38' and 3B" are flattened and are adapted to slide within the channel formed in the end supporting members l4 and It as previously described and shown in Figure 6.

Connecting the side members 3| and 32 with the handle are links 40, 4|, 42 and 43, which are hingably connected to both the side members and the handle at 44, 45, 46, 41, 48 (and 49 not shown) respectively.

In Figures 1 to 4 the bottles 50 are shown in broken lines in order to,show their relative location and normal position in relation to the carrier itself. Figure 5 shows the manner in which the carrier may be folded when not in use, when the side members are compressed the bottom and side members move upwardly and inwardly adjacent the end supportin member and the handle.

Normally the carrier is kept in folded position when not in use. When the carrier is to be filled the sides and bottom are extended as shown in Figure 2 and the bottles 50 placed in two parallel rows on each side of the handle and bottle separator member 37. In this position the handle 38 may be depressed as shown in Figure 2 in order that'a similar carrier may be stacked on the tops of thebottles. It will be noted that the tops of the bottles will contact the smooth surface of the botom secions l4 and it beween the beads which will keep the metal surface of the carrier from slipping off the bottle tops.

When the carrier is picked up by the handle 38, the portion 38' and 38" will slide along the end supporting members In and. I2 and as the link members 48, 4|, 42 and 43 are pivotably connected with the handle the side members 3| and 32 will be drawn inwardly upon the sides of the bottle, clamping them in the carrier while they are being transported. When the carrier is set down and the handle is moved downwardly as in Figure 2 the bottles may be very easily inserted or removed as the case may be.

While the invention has been shown and described in its preferred form it is not intended that it be limited by this specific disclosure as various changes in detail of combination may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and only in so far as the invention has been particularly pointed out in the accompanying claim is the same to be limited.

I claim:

A foldable bottle carrier for transporting bottles arranged in parallel rows, comprising end supporting members having a slidable handle associated therewith, the upper portion of which is of such height as to be below the tops of the bottles carried in the carrier when the handle is depressed, a pair of rectangular foldable bottom members hingedly connected adjacent one of their lateral edges with the lower ends of the end supports, side members positioned upwardly from the bottom and means extending downwardly at each end of the side members and hingedly connected with the outer ends and adjacent the outer edges of the bottom members, link members of substan- 4 tially the same length as the width of each of the rectangular bottom members connecting the side supporting members with the said handle, the link members being adapted to move the side members inwardly toward the handle for engaging the bottles as the handle is moved upwardly and means extending between the end supports, for supporting the same.

JOSEPH B. WALLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,293,646 Haas et a1 Aug. 18, 1942 2,300,201 Brunhoff Oct. 27, 1942 2,375,467 Chapman May 8, 1945 2,395,601 Wenthe Feb. 26, 1946 2,404,133 Ice July 16, 1946 2,404,532 Rocker July-23, 1946 2,420,006 OHare May 6, 1947 2.432,351 Strobl Dec. 9, 1947 

